Former Lucha Underground wrestler Ivelisse has looked back on her time with the company, sharing what she feels is the promotion’s lasting legacy.

In an interview with Wrestlezone, Ivelisse recalled feeling as though she was being held hostage due to her Lucha Underground contract. Despite this, she still had plenty of praise for the promotion.

“[…] it was never anything ill-intended. I went public with it—I didn’t know what else to humanly possibly do to fix my situation. And just, unhappiness. But it was just, it’s a great show. There is a lot of great people behind it and everything, it’s just, sometimes, when there’s too many people involved some people try to take things into a direction where it just doesn’t fit. And if it doesn’t fit then, you know, there’s nothing wrong or right, it’s just—if it doesn’t fit it doesn’t fit. Not on the same page for the talent.”

“It really was down to the fact that the whole thing of wanting to keep a talent stuck on a contract to a TV show,” she explained. “Like, that’s just not realistically possible or fair or right. That was just really it. It’s great. Great show, great people, every time you go it’s fun, they treated us very well, and everything. But just that contract part was just too unrealistic, unfortunately.”

Although she was finally able to receive her release from the company, Ivelisse believes the show still had a positive impact on pro wrestling. She reflected that Lucha Underground’s lasting legacy is defined in how it helped introduce new wrestlers and styles to a mainstream audience.

Ivelisse will be involved with All Elite Wrestling’s Casino Battle Royal during their next major event, All Out, which airs on August 31st.